Apparatus for making pipe couplings or fixtures



Feb. 1, 1955 A. c. ARBoGA-ST 2,701,002

APPARATUS FOR MAKING PIPE COUPLINGS'OR FIXTURES Filed May 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

/7/7 v /Z E@ @WP/Q f//Xwway APPARATUS FOR MAKING PIPE coUPLINGs 0R FIXTURES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. C. ARBOGAST Feb. l, 1955 Filed May 26, 1952 United States Patent APPARATUS FR MAKING PIPE COUPLINGS OR FIXTURES Alfred C. Arbogast, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to Elkhart Screw Products, Inc., Elkhart, Ind.

Application May 26, 1952, Serial N o. 290,105

Claims. (Cl. 153-48) This invention relates to apparatus for making pipe couplings or xtures.

rlne main objects of my invention are:

First, to provide an apparatus which enables the very rapid production of angled pipe couplings or xtures from straight tubular blanks while maintaining the full wall strength of the tubular stock.

Second, to provide an apparatus for making fixtures of this character which enables a high rate of production.

ObJects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a tubular blank employed by me.

Fig. 2 is an elevational View illustrating one stage or step of the method.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a completed coupling or fixture.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational View of an apparatus embodying my invention and adapted for use in practicing my method with parts being broken away and in section to illustrate structural details.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View of one of the die members with a work blank and the forming mechanism in an initial position with parts sectioned and broken away for convenience in illustration.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary View with one of the die mem bers removed, illustrating the apparatus in fully actuated position in which position the tubular blank has been formed to angled shape as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical view of a hydraulic power means for actuating the power or feed plunger and supporting the counter thrust plunger.

The advantage of forming plumbing xtures and the like of wrought or drawn metal as distinguished from castings has been recognized for a considerable period not only from the standpoint of production of xtures from a minimum of metal but in that such fixtures are much more impervious than castings.

The applicants present invention relates to an ap paratus which enables very rapid production of a uniform product from tubular stock with practically n0 waste and without rupturing or weakening the walls of the stock. The apparatus illustrated is very satisfactory for the practicing of the method and the steps of the method will appear from a description of the apparatus.

In the accompanying drawing 1 represents the bed and 2 the head of a punch press or like machine which is utilized however merely to clamp the die members 3 and 4 together and to reciprocate one of them relative to the other. The die members 3 and 4 have comple-- mentary opposed angled channel-like recesses 5 there in which coact to provide a cylindrical tubular die recess. designated generally by the numeral 6 when the die members are in closed position and clamped together between the bed 1 and head 2. The die member 3 is secured to the bed and the die member 4 is secured to the head by means of Allen set screw as indicated at 7 so the die members are opened and closed by the reciprocation of the head.

The tubular blank 8 is formed of a section of tubing of the length of the fixture to be produced. The blanks may desirably be formed of copper or of a copper alloy but they may be of other ductile metal including steel. The blanks are placed in the open dies and the dies closed r. ICC

providing a closed angled recess with the blank in one of the branches thereof. See Figs. 4 and 5. The blank is supported throughout by the walls of the die recess and is a longitudinal sliding fit therein. The actuating plunger 9 is a sliding fit within the die recess and is provided with a reduced end portion 10 terminating in a shoulder 11. The reduced portion 10 fits within the blank as shown in Fig. 5 with the shoulder 11 in thrust engagement with the blank. The portion 10 fitting within the blank prevents collapsing of the wall of the blank at the rear end thereof when the plunger is actuated.

The plunger is provided with a bendable resilient work filler or core element 12 having a screw 13 embedded in the outer end thereof, the screw being threaded into the threaded bore 14 of the plunger. This ller or core member is desirably formed of rubber and has a tapered inner portion 15. The ller member is of such length and diameter that it and the reduced portion of the plunger completely flll the blank.

The counter thrust plunger 16 is a sliding fit in the other branch of the die recess. This counter thrust plunger 16 is provided with a recess 17 at its inner end receiving the end of the link 1S which is pivoted to the plunger at 19. The other end of the link 18 is secured within the recess 20 of the thrust head 21. The thrust head 21 has a spherically curved face 22 supportingly engageable within the forward or adjacent end of the blank as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The head 21 is of such diameter that it is in supporting engagement with the wall of the recess and with the angle thereof when in its fully projected position as shown in Fig. 5. ln this position the filler member is somewhat compressed. This compression of the filler member being sufficient to force the ller material into supporting relation to the wall blank.

With the parts in position as shown in Fig. 5, the plunger 9 is actuated and the plunger ll6 is under such counter thrust or stress as to maintain the head 21 in supporting engagement with the advancing end edge of the work. The stroke of the plunger 9 is such that the tubular work is partially forced through the angle portion of the die recesses as is shown in Fig. 6. During this stroke the rearward end edges of the blank are supported by the plunger 9 while the advancing or front end edge is supported by the head 21 of the plunger 16. This results in the forming of the angled fixture part 23, sec Fig. 2, which may be used in that form or the ends thereof may be enlarged at 24 by a further forming operation which results in the fixture 25.

The apparatus for forming the enlargement 24 is not illustrated as it forms no part of my invention. The part 23 is produced without any ash.

The walls are of uniform thickness from end to end, that is, there is no upsetting. lt is preferred that the tubular blank 8 be of uniform diameter and of uniform wall thickness.

The hydraulical apparatus shown in Fig. 7 is more or less conventionalized and comprises a hydraulic cylinder 26 in which the plunger 9 reciprocates the plunger being provided with a head shown at 27. The plunger 16 is provided with a head 30 disposed in the cylinder 31. 32 represents a sump and 33 a pump. The pump is connected through the control valve 34 and the pipes or conduits 35 and 36 to the cylinder 26. The valve 34 s also connected to the sump by the return conduit 37. The pipe 35 is connected by the branch 38 to the cylinder 31 at one side of the head 30. The conduit 36 is connected through the conduit 39 to the cylinder 31 on the opposite side of the head. The conduit 39 has a check valve 40 therein. The return conduit 4l for the conduit 39 to the sump is provided with a relief valve 42.

The relief conduit 43 is connected to the discharge side of the pump and is provided with a relief valve 44. The valve 44 is set to obtain the desired feed thrust on the plunger 9 while the relief valve 42 is set to obtain the desired back pressure or counter thrust pressure on thc plunger 16.

The counter pressure on the plunger 16 should be such as to maintain the head 20 in supporting engagement with the advancing end of the blank as it travels around the angle in the die recess and in fact until the stroke is completed but it obviously should not be such as to prevent the work stroke of the plunger 9. A pneumatic means might be provided for actuating the plunger 9 and applying counteracting thrust on the plunger 16 or the plunger 16 might be counter weighted by means of a spring or otherwise.

The apparatus illustrated is a practical apparatus for practicing the method of my invention. The steps of the method are clearly described in connection with the particular apparatus. While the ller member is desirably carried by the actuated plunger, as that greatly speeds up the operation, it might be a separate element to be inserted and removed. lt should however be bendable and of sufficient resistance to support the walls of the blank as the blank is forced in the die recess. The supporting counter thrust means illustrated is highly efficient and desirable but it will be appreciated that other means might be used.

I have illustrated and described a highly practical apparatus embodying my invention and one highly practical for practicing the method. I have not illustrated and described other apparatus as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my apparatus as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fixture forming apparatus comprising a die having an angled work recess of cylindrical section and of uniform diameter from end to end, one branch of the recess being of a length to receive and completely enclose a tubular work blank, and actuating plunger fittingly slidable within said work recess and provided with a pilot fittingly engageable within the outer end of the work and with an annular thrust shoulder at the base of the pilot for thrust engagement with the end of the work into which the pilot extends, a bendable resilient work filler element mounted on the end of said pilot portion of said actuating plunger to coact therewith to interiorly support the wall of the work, a reaction plunger slidable within the other branch of the work recess, a head therefor slidably tting within said work recess to travel around the angle thereof, and having a spherically curved work engaging face adapted to supportingly fit within the inner end edge of tubular work in its initial position within said work recess, a link pivotally connected to said head and to said reaction plunger, said reaction plunger having a recess in its inner end in which the outer' end of said link is pivoted, said head having a recess receiving the inner end of said link, the pivot for the link to said head being disposed centrally relative to the curvature of the face of the head, and thrust sustaining means for said reaction plunger acting to maintain said head in thrust engagement with the edge of the work and with the end of the filler element during the forming stroke of the actuating plunger.

2. A fixture forming apparatus comprising a die having an angled work recess of cylindrical section and of uniform diameter from end to end, one branch of the recess being of a length to receive and completely enclose a tubular work blank, and actuating plunger fittingly slidable within said work recess and provided with a pilot ittingly engageable within the outer end of the work and with an annular thrust shoulder at the base of the pilot for thrust engagement with the end of the work into which the pilot extends, a bendable resilient work filler element mounted on the end of said pilot portion of said actuating plunger to coact therewith to interiorly support the wall of the work, a reaction plunger slidable within the other branch of the work recess, a head there- F for slidably fitting within said work recess to travel around the angle thereof, and having a spherically curved work engaging face adapted to supportingly t within the inner end edge of tubular work in its initial position within said work recess, a link pivotally connected to said head and to said reaction plunger, and thrust snstaining means for said reaction plunger acting to maintain said head in thrust engagement with the edge of the work and with the end of the filler element during the forming stroke of the actuating plunger.

3. A fixture forming apparatus comprising a die having an angled work recess, and actuating plunger slidable within said work recess and provided with a pilot tittingly engageable within the outer end of the work and with an annular thrust shoulder at the base of the pilot for thrust engagement with the end of the work into which the pilot extends, a bendable and expandable Work ller element complementing said pilot portion of said actuating plunger to interiorly support the wall of the work, a reaction plunger slidable within the other branch of the work recess, a head therefor slidably tting within said work recess to travel around the angle thereof, and having a spherically curved work engaging face adapted to supportingly t within the inner edge of tubular work in its initial position within said work recess and in expanding engagement with the iiller element, a link pivotally connected to said head and to said reaction plunger, and thrust sustaining means for said reaction plunger acting to maintain said head in thrust engagement with the edge of the work and with the end of the ller element during the forming stroke of the actuating plunger.

4. A fixture forming apparatus comprising a die having an angled work recess, and actuating plunger slidable within said work recess and provided with a pilot ittingly engageable within the outer end of the work and with an annular thrust shoulder at the base of the pilot for thrust engagement with the end of the work into which the pilot extends, a bendable and expandable work lter element complementing said pilot portion of said actuating plunger to interiorly support the wall of the Work, a reaction plunger slidable within the other branch of the work recess, a head therefor slidably fitting within said work recess to travel around the angle thereof, and having a spherically curved work engaging face adapted to supportingly lit within the inner edge of tubular work in its initial position Within said work recess and in expanding engagement with the filler element, a link pivotally connected to said head and to said reaction plunger, and thrust sustaining means for said reaction plunger acting to maintain said head in thrust engagement with the edge of the Work and with the end of the filler element during the forming stroke of the actuating plunger.

5. A fixture forming apparatus comprising a die having an angled work recess of cylindrical section and of uniform diameter from end to end, one branch of the recess being of a length to receive and completely enclose a tubular work blank, an actuating plunger ttingly slidable within said work recess and provided with a pilot ttingly engageable within the outer end of the work and with an annular thrust shoulder at the base of the pilot for thrust engagement with the end of the work into which the pilot extends, a bendable resilient work filler element mounted on the end of said pilot portion of said actuating plunger to coact therewith to interiorly support the wall of the work, a reaction head slidably fitting and swingably supported within said work recess to travel around the angle thereof and to supportingly engage the inner end of work in its initial position within said work recess and an expanding retaining engagement with the ller element, and thrust sustaining means for said head acting to maintain said head in abutting engagement with the work and the filler element therein during the forming stroke of the actuating plunger.

6. A fixture forming apparatus comprising a die having an angled work recess, an actuating plunger slidable within said work recess and provided with a pilot engageable within the outer end of the work and with a thrust shoulder at the base of the pilot for thrust engagement with the end of the work into which the pilot extends, an expandingly conformable work filler element complementing said pilot portion of said actuating plunger to interiorly support the wall of the work, a reaction head slidably and swingably supported Within said work recess to travel around the angle thereof and to supportingly engage the inner end of work in its initial position within said work recess expendingly and retainingly engage the work filler element during the forming operation, and thrust sustaining means for said head acting to maintain said head in abutting engagement with the work and the filler element therein during the forming stroke of the actuating plunger.

7. A tube bending apparatus comprising a die having an angled work receiving recess of uniform diameter and adapted to receive a tubular work piece of uniform diameter and open at both ends for endwise sliding supported translation therein, an actuating plunger slidable within the work recess for thrust engagement with one end of the tubular work for slidably translating it longitudinally within the recess, a resilient work filler element,

a reaction thrust member slidably supported with said recess and engageable with the front end of the work in its initial position and adapted to traverse the angle of the work recess in thrust wall supporting engagement with the advancing end of the work during the translation of the work within the recess, said work iiller element being of expandable material and being expandably supported at the ends thereof by said actuating plunger and said reaction member and thereby expanded into substantially uniform supporting engagement with the wall of the work.

8. A tube bending apparatus comprising a die having an angled work receiving recess of uniform diameter and adapted to receive a tubular work piece of uniform diameter and open at both ends for endwise sliding sup ported translation therein, an actuating plunger engagcable with one end of the tubular Work for slidably translating it longitudinally within the recess, a resilient expandable work filler element, a reaction thrust member slidably fitting within the recess and supportingly engageable within the work at the front end thereof and expandingly engaging and supporting the filler element in its initial position and during its translation in the die recess, said work filler element being supported at the ends thereof by said actuating plunger and said reaction member.

9. An apparatus for bending a bendable tubular work piece of uniform diameter and open at both ends comprising a die having an angled work recess of substantially uniform cross-section from end to end adapted t3 receive a tubular work piece for endwise translation thereof, an actuating plunger adapted for thrust engagement with one end of the tubular work piece in the recess for slidably translating it longitudinally within the recess, a work ller element of rubber, a reaction member disposed within the recess for engagement with the front end of the work and urged into thrust engagement therewith during the translation of the work within the recess and at a thurst pressure less than the thrust of the actuating plunger but suflicient to retain the filler material within the work under compression, said work ller element being of such volume that it is expandablly supported by said actuating plunger and said reaction member into supporting engagement with the wall of the work.

l0. An apparatus for bending a bendable tubular work piece open at both ends comprising a die having an angled work recess adapted to receive the tubular work piece for endwise translation thereof, an actuating plunger mounted for thrust engagement with one end of a tubular work piece disposed in the recess for slidably translating it longitudinally within the recess, an expandable work ller element, a reaction member provided with a curved work engaging head slidably fitting the recess and disposed within the recess for thrust engagement with the front end of the work and in expanding engagement with the filler element during the translation of the work within the recess, said work filler element being expandably supported and retained within the work by said actuating plunger and said reaction member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 204,527 Brady June 4, 1878 406,992 Burgoin July 16, 1889 425,395 Wingate et al Apr. 8, 1890 1,947,611 Miotke Feb. 20, 1934 1,978,452 Flodin Oct. 30, 1934 2,138,199 Wendel Nov. 29, 1938 2,183,702 Wendel Dec. 19, 1939 2,380,344 Sutton July 10, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,796 Great Britain of 1893 455,559 Germany Feb. 3, 1928 

